State should not penalize teachers

Our state government has a strange way of supporting our public school teachers.

/s Last year, toadying to pressure from the powerful teachers' union, lawmakers approved a 3 percent teacher pay raise that quickly was signed into law by the governor.

Alabama teacher compensation now is in the ballpark with salaries in other states in our region. But given the challenges peculiar to teaching in this state, the increase was merited. The problem was, there was no money to cover it.

As a consequence, hundreds of education employees who received raises will be handed pink slips later this year as schools systems chop their budgets. Aides will be in short supply, maintenance and repairs will be delayed again and requests for badly needed instructional and library materials will be put on ice. In more than a few systems, class sizes will increase. The teachers have a small raise, but their jobs will be considerably harder.

That's far from a show of support. Protests of lawmakers to the contrary, the motive behind the election-year raise is callously transparent.

It came at a time when the Legislature was fully aware that state schools are on the brink of another serious/sfinancial crisis. The lawmakers never considered raising revenues to cover the raise. The inescapable conclusion is that they would rather see schools suffer than find new revenues.

That's why we would not be surprised if teacher union boss Paul Hubbert's warning about a legislative initiative this year turns out to be true.

Hubbert said he believes business leaders will/srevive an old proposal to freeze wages and benefits for public education employees as a way to prevent school budget cuts.

Business leaders said they have adopted no such proposal, which was first discussed in 2001. But Hubbert says the plan is still alive.

His warning may be nothing more than a pre-/semptive strike in advance of the legislative session in March. We hope that's the case, for a freeze will only add to the burdens that disenchant some of our best public school teachers.

A report released Tuesday gives Alabama a miserable D-plus for its efforts to improve teacher quality.

Its failure to provide incentives to put the best, most highly qualified instructors in schools, particularly those with struggling students, puts Alabama in jeopardy of failing to qualify for the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The law, passed last year by Congress, requires all teachers in core subjects to be "highly qualified" in each subject they teach by the end of the 2005-06 school year.

State education department leader did not dispute the finding of the annual Quality County report from Education Week magazine. Alabama simply has not had enough money to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers, particularly in its poor school districts.

If there is anything encouraging, it is that a spokesman for Bob Riley distanced the governor-elect from any talk of a wage freeze. It was discussed two years ago as a short-term fix, the spokesman said, adding that Riley is interested in finding long-term solutions to the state's problems.

We need lasting solutions, long-range vision. A knee-jerk plan such as penalizing teachers with a salary freeze to deal with the shortfalls caused by last year's unfunded raise is not the way to improve our schools.

Make unwise behavior less convenient

Dear Editor: "You can't legislate morality." That seems to be the view of many regarding the proposal to restrict somewhat local alcohol sales. But, we are always legislating someone's morality; the only question is whose. Clearly, you can't legislate Americans to act or think any particular way, but you can make unwise behavior less convenient. Restricting alcohol sales will not end under-age drinking, drunkenness or binge drinking, all of which are common to our local culture.

But, it will make these a bit less convenient, and most observations of American culture suggest that this will reduce the volume of abuse. Some who would normally be passing late night hours in bars will resort to other locales. Some will even be encouraged to pursue other more positive activities, like movies or sleep.

Closing down the bars at an earlier hour will shift some dollars from bar owners to package stores, but will doubtlessly save some dollars by reduced absenteeism and long term physical and mental health savings.

So, though it isn't a zero-sum economy, a real question may be, "whose money most needs preserving?"

Many citizens believe that society has a duty to protect those who are unable to protect themselves, even if their handicap is simple immaturity. We restrict underage purchases of alcohol and tobacco for example. Why don't we give some small restrictions a try and see if the good resulting from some alcohol restrictions is greater than the harm?

Phil Bishop

Northport

Holiday drive a success

Dear Editor: The Student Government Association at Brookwood Middle School would like to thank Vinson Trucking Company, Abernant Masonic Lodge, McLeod Truck Parts Inc., and Firestone Tires for their very generous donations./sAlso, we would like to thank our faculty, staff and bus drivers for their contributions, monetary and otherwise.

With these contributions we were able to help more than 14 families in and around our community. We purchased clothes, shoes, CD players, movies, Playstation games, art supplies and remote control cars ó just to name a few items.

During the month of December, the SGA sponsored a food, coat and toy drive. The eighth grade class brought in approximately 120 coats, the seventh grade class contributed nearly 800 non-/sperishable food items and the sixth grade class donated more than 100 toys.

These items were distributed in Brookwood, Vance and Holt areas.

This was truly a blessing to be part of. We hope these families had a great Christmas and will pass on the love to others.

Sarah Woodward

Andy Foster

SGA sponsors and teachers/sat Brookwood Middle School

Private Traweek stands alone

Dear Editor: I am responding to Private Traweek's article on Jan. 6, 2003. Never send a buck private to do a colonel's job. At a recent council meeting Warrior Baseball presented financial records (a book) for the past five years, to be kept at City Hall for public display. Where's Waldo? In another recent council meeting, Col. Fretwell was asked if he thought funds were being misused by anyone at Warrior Baseball? His response ó no. Private Traweek, you stand alone.

Any ground I stand on that has prayer before games and is blessed with 1,000 children playing baseball is sacred. It saddens my heart to know that you think Warrior Baseball is offensive and troubling, but I invite you to the park this spring. Maybe some of our goodwill will rub off on you.

Private Traweek maybe you should look into how they spend their money at assisted living facilities.

D.W. Booth

Northport

Dog tracks are being mistreated

Dear Editor: I read recently in several publications that the Poarch Creek Indians have opened their third casino location in Montgomery County. The Indians already had gaming centers in Atmore and Wetumpka. The Indians do not pay any local or state taxes at any location.

The greyhound tracks in this state have paid millions of dollars in taxes and are good corporate citizens. The tracks are being grossly mistreated and it is high time the Alabama Legislature address this situation.

As a businessperson, I resent the tracks being mistreated.

Deborah Ross

Tallassee

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